Floating Vinyl Liner.

[Dahnke82]

I bought my current house about 1.5 years ago and haven't had many issues with the liner until now. Yesterday, I noticed that there is ground water between the liner and the pool wall in various areas of the pool. I made a successful attempt at retracking with liner lock, a large area that came off the pvc track, but I can't do the whole pool alone and I dunno what to do with all the water there aside from hiring someone to come pump it out. Do y'all think I need a new liner replacement or does this appear to be something repairable? I've reached out to several businesses to come out to evaluate it asap. Would appreciate any feedback. Thank you!

 

[Dahnke82]

Somebody quoted me $500 to pump out the water from where it is between the liner and wall and to reattach the parts of the liner that have come off track. Does this sound reasonable?

 

[Newdude]

Are you sure it's ground water and not runoff from the patio ? With the liner pulled out, rain and/or runoff will collect in those spots.

Have you tried pushing the bubble down the wall with the pool brush ? Or even better, pull it up the wall and suck it out with the skinny nozzle tool on a shop vac.

but I can't do the whole pool alone

Why not ? It's about the easiest job you can do. It really helps to be in the pool (a little cold still for that), but even going around on your knees it's very simple. If there's any stubborn spots, use a block of wood and a rubber mallot.

 

[Dahnke82]

Are you sure it's ground water and not runoff from the patio ? With the liner pulled out, rain and/or runoff will collect in those spots.

Have you tried pushing the bubble down the wall with the pool brush ? Or even better, pull it up the wall and suck it out with the skinny nozzle tool on a shop vac.

Why not ? It's about the easiest job you can do. It really helps to be in the pool (a little cold still for that), but even going around on your knees it's very simple. If there's any stubborn spots, use a block of wood and a rubber mallot.

I am pretty sure that it's not runoff from the patio. It hadn't rained before noticing this issue. The liner also hasn't been fully pulled out like in the pic for very long and it wasn't completely open like in the picture when I noticed the water lodged in it. I also don't think a non professional shop vac hose will suck out the water that's below the liner at the bottom of the pool. It's raining today, though, and I have the exposed part slightly covered right now to prevent rain from falling into it. I have no idea where the water would be coming from if not ground water, though. That is why I'm assuming it's ground water. It's very doubtful to me that it would be patio runoff...

I have tried pushing the bubble down the wall with the pool brush to no avail. I was hoping the water would come out when doing that but it didn't. I have thought about sucking what's there with a Shop Vac, but I don't want to ruin anything and end up having to pay more to have it repaired.

I think the entire perimeter of the pool needs to have the liner retracked. It seems like it's ready to slip out in a lot of parts like it was never stretched out enough to begin with or for as long as I've lived in this house. I'm saying that because the thick part of the liner at the top where it tracks in, is exposed all around the pool except for where I re-tracked it yesterday. I fear screwing that up as well, and making things worse.

 

[Newdude]

suck out the water that's below the liner at the bottom of the pool

I see that now. I only noticed the water behind the wall section earlier.

It hadn't rained before noticing this issue

It takes alot of spring rain to raise the water table. Err. At any time of year, but typically it happens in the spring with the 'April Showers'. Except Texas so February is your April.

It could also be a plumbing leak with nowhere else to go and more likely if it's been dry lately by you.

I think the entire perimeter of the pool needs to have the liner retracked. It seems like it's ready to slip out in a lot of parts like it was never stretched out enough to begin with

Either liners are cut too big in the factory, or they stretch over time. Check the bottom of this link for a visual on how the 2 pieces zipper themselves. There's really nothing holding it together if the water isn't pulling the liner downward. Just a tiny bit of play from and old or loose liner and it'll pop right out as you see.

Liner Replacement - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Dahnke82]

I see that now. I only noticed the water behind the wall section earlier.

It takes alot of spring rain to raise the water table. Err. At any time of year, but typically it happens in the spring with the 'April Showers'. Except Texas so February is your April.

It could also be a plumbing leak with nowhere else to go and more likely if it's been dry lately by you.

Either liners are cut too big in the factory, or they stretch over time. Check the bottom of this link for a visual on how the 2 pieces zipper themselves. There's really nothing holding it together if the water isn't pulling the liner downward. Just a tiny bit of play from and old or loose liner and it'll pop right out as you see.

Liner Replacement - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Thank you very much for sharing that link. I don't notice the lip in the tracking area itself that lends itself to "zippering" or holding the liner in place, but part of it locked back in when I folded the liner at the top to shimmy it back into the track before putting some of that liner lock over it, so I'm guessing it's in there and I just can't see it...

And you could be right about rain water just hanging out since February....

You could also be right about a plumbing issue and I'm hoping that that's not the root problem.

Taking that into account, do you think $500 is reasonable for pumping out the water that's lodged where it shouldn't be and reseating the liner? That's what I was quoted today and I didn't think that was a bad price considering someone else telling me I needed a new liner altogether and someone else telling me to drain the pool and then call them., which sounds kinda crazy without evaluating the pool in person. Both sound like they want to get more money out of me.

 

[Newdude]

I'm guessing it's in there and I just can't see it...

That's exactly why I made that visual. I had a liner pool for 8.5 years and never 'saw' it until I built pool #2 and held the track in my hand. Then It clicked.

Taking that into account, do you think $500 is reasonable for pumping out the water that's lodged where it shouldn't be and reseating the liner?

For a couple hours work, yes. That's a reasonable trade price.

It sucks because if it's ground water or a leak, it's only a matter of time until it returns. Oooooooh. Leak. Could be the liner too. Likely areas would be at cuts like the skimmers / stairs/ drains, but there could also be a small rip or hole somewhere. You're only looking at a couple dozen gallons. You'd never even know it was missing. Had the water height held well ?

 

[Dahnke82]

That's exactly why I made that visual. I had a liner pool for 8.5 years and never 'saw' it until I built pool #2 and held the track in my hand. Then It clicked.

For a couple hours work, yes. That's a reasonable trade price.

It sucks because if it's ground water or a leak, it's only a matter of time until it returns. Oooooooh. Leak. Could be the liner too. Likely areas would be at cuts like the skimmers / stairs/ drains, but there could also be a small rip or hole somewhere. You're only looking at a couple dozen gallons. You'd never even know it was missing. Had the water height held well ?

I went home on my lunch break a few hours ago and noticed the water height has held up well. I think if it's a liner leak that it probably happened through the skimmer, as the screws holding the skimmer plate in place appear rusted and some turn but don't tighten. I was able to tighten 3 of them last night. It has not been swam in for a few months probably since about early September or maybe even late August and there were no issues then so I doubt there is a hole below the water line, but I could be wrong of course.

 

[Newdude]

Welp. We'll have an answer soon enough. If they seal it up and the water stays gone, it's not a leak or groundwater.

 

[Dahnke82]

Welp. We'll have an answer soon enough. If they seal it up and the water stays gone, it's not a leak or groundwater.

That, we will. I will keep you updated once they come out, which they won't be able to do until mid next week unless I find someone else to come out sooner for the same price or lower.

 

[Newdude]

My goodness. Please forgive my terrible manners.

Welcome to TFP !!!! (Sorry it's for sucky reasons).


Here's what we do for pools :
How Clear is TFP Clear?

Here's how, on the cheap and easy :
Pool Care Basics
Test Kits Compared
PoolMath
FC/CYA Levels

 

[Dahnke82]

That, we will. I will keep you updated once they come out, which they won't be able to do until mid next week unless I find someone else to come out sooner for the same price or lower.

The rain just came down like only Houston rain does….i covered the larger opening with a pool floater/lounger and put a small piece of wood over it to keep it in place so rain wouldn’t just pour into it from the sky.

 

[Newdude]

The rain just came down like only Houston rain does…

Wearing a 10 gallon hat and a giant belt buckle ?

i covered the larger opening

Good. It couldn't hurt to try. The 4th pic looks like the water came from the open top to me.

 

[Dahnke82]

Wearing a 10 gallon hat and a giant belt buckle ?


Good. It couldn't hurt to try. The 4th pic looks like the water came from the open top to me.

Yes, definitely with the giant belt buckle....ALWAYS with the giant belt buckle and a 10 ton hammer.

Maybe you're right about how the water got in...maybe it is in fact from patio runoff/rainwater. It's just never happened before but I guess maybe the liner has slowly been coming off track...I dunno. The pool didn't sustain further issue from the rain, though, that I could tell at least.

 

[Newdude]

Everybody focuses elsewhere for the off season. No matter the source, it easily snuck one past you. Getting it sealed up will only help, if not cure the issue.

 

[Dahnke82]

Everybody focuses elsewhere for the off season. No matter the source, it easily snuck one past you. Getting it sealed up will only help, if not cure the issue.

Thank you for your guidance. This forum is AMAZING. I'm very grateful for finding it.

 

[Dahnke82]

Well…they came out this morning and resealed the liner and pumped out the water.

The guy told me that he didn’t know what the source of the water was…

Fast forward to this evening before sunset as I was about to clean the pool filter, to my extreme disappointment, the pool was swelling in the deep end again- in the spots the liner was retracked with liner lock, as well as in the same areas on the bottom of the pool around the shallow end.

I contacted them and they’re coming back out on Friday morning to check out the plumbing and take a more detailed look at the liner. Not sure why they didn’t do that today.

The guys who came out were employees of the owner, the guy I had been emailing and booked the service with. Not sure he’s the guy coming Friday or not. The guy who came out today claims to have been the person who installed the current liner and said it was installed about 5 years ago. When I asked him how long they last on average, he said 5-6 years. That sounds odd to me. Is it or am I wrong? He kept pushing that I likely need a new liner. I’m trying to avoid that if I can because it’s not an expense I can make this very moment.

Think I’m screwed?

 

[Newdude]

When I asked him how long they last on average, he said 5-6 years.

That's not far off when using the industry methods of blindly dumping stuff in the pool and shocking the bejeezus out of it weekly.

Don't even think about the possibility of replacing the liner until the water source is found and stopped. Picture exactly how it looks now all bubbled, and you're $7000(?) lighter.

Good.luck and keep us posted.

 

[Dahnke82]

They just left after being here for 3 hours. They didn’t do Jack Darn. I’m beyond frustrated for having wasted $500 for them to basically retract about 2ft of liner. They cut a pvc pipe around the pump so they could attach a pressure reader they had but they couldn’t seal one of the two return jets cause there was some sorta solidified hard clay in it from whoever did a repair before buying this house. So the guy gave up, cut n attached new pvc pipe back where he cut it off and then told me he knew a guy who could plug n test it for $400. I told him no and that they just robbed $500 from me basically. So now I guess I’m going to find another company…

 

[Dahnke82]

Yea, so I'm not really sure what to do next.

My former pool cleaner came by later that day this past Friday to bring me some new grids for my DE filter and showed me how to do a leak test using color dyes and that's what I'll be trying out later today. But after that, I'm not sure what to do. I'm guessing to contact a different vinyl pool handler to check where I may find a possible leak from the test and see if it can either be repaired or go full on liner replacement. I'll have to find a place where I can finance a liner because at the moment I can't afford one outright.

Open to ongoing feedback/suggestions and thanks in advance n have a wonderful Monday.